A lot of people are beginning to ask questions when it comes to avocados. One of the popular questions is, how big do avocado trees get. With the rising popularity of the fruit, many more are interested in cultivating it next to learning as much as they can about it.
The avocado is a tree with a probable origin in south central Mexico. Usually, avocado trees can get pretty big when cultivated under typical circumstances. However, there is lots of room for variation.
Typically, avocado trees will grow to a large size and height. This is especially true when Avocados grow in natural circumstances. Because of this Avocado trees typically need lots of room around them to thrive and give fruit. Variation is key here. It really all depends on the variety of avocado. Some avocado tree variations grow bigger than others.
Another aspect is root stocking. If one variety of avocado is attached to another variety, this may ultimately affect the size of the tree. Another way of influencing an avocado tree is by pruning. Many people like to cultivate Avocados and keep their trees to a smaller size by pruning them.
Other aspects of variation in Avocado tree size have to do with irrigation. By controlling how much and how often you water the tree, you can influence its size making it larger or smaller. Things like soil type, fertilizing and drainage also play a role when it comes to affecting Avocado trees.
When it comes to the exact measurements of avocado trees, most varieties grow to about 40 feet (12.2m) in height. However, pruning them while in the process of growing seems to be the most effective way of keeping them short. Some trees grow even higher than that, reaching an exceptional 60 feet (18.2m). It is also worth mentioning that avocado trees have a spreading growth habit, and they tend to branch out much more than certain other fruit bearing trees.
They tend to cover a circular area of a diameter of 30 feet (9.1m). This is why people who plant multiple avocado trees for cultivation, tend to leave a minimum of 15 feet (4.6m) of space between trees in order for all the branches to receive an adequate amount of sunlight.
Many people have sought to cultivate Avocado trees but are not able to given that they take up so much space. This is exactly why home gardeners have turned to pruning in order to keep avocado trees smaller. Typically, pruning is done in the winter or in the early spring by selectively cutting or removing certain branches. Pruning has to be done as carefully as possible because the amount of leaves affects the amount of fruit the tree ultimately gives.
Others might turn to the dwarf variety: the Wurtz or Little Cado type. This variation of avocado is actually a hybrid of Mexican and Guatemalan varieties. The Little Cado grows only about to 10 feet (3.1 m) ins size, making it a great choice for anyone hoping to save space while growing avocado trees. Under optimal conditions, the little Cado produces a reasonable amount of fruit in only a few years.